


Quantum entanglement

by laterie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: God knows how the FALL scene has me on the cross, M/M, Season 6 Spoilers, The angst and the bittersweet revelation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 11:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14953904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laterie/pseuds/laterie
Summary: Shiro struggled with the connection, but when Keith called his name, it was never easier to respond. And finally, heunderstood.





	Quantum entanglement

**Author's Note:**

> now imagine me writing sheith fics if i were fluent in english.

_I’ve learned how to fly from you. Now we’re learning how to fall together._

The horizon fell behind Shiro’s eyes. The light closed his soul and kept it safe, away from the thick darkness of universe where not even miracle can breathe life. In that spliced daydream, Shiro’s arm hurt. The phantom begged him to stop fighting. _Just let go._ He could break the bones, the chain that caged his heart forever. Death came in silence – wearing his face. But Shiro loved life. He hung on it with his teeth, biting until blood begun flowing stream and feed him. Whoever, in this fight there was no other red than the redness of Keith’s paladin uniform. He cut off the dead limb _with love._

Shiro opened his eyes and swore he’ll never turn his back to the sun.

“Keith.“ A knot of stress began to build in Shiro’s chest.

“I laid my hand on you.”

“You’ve never laid a hand on me,” Keith flipped a page with his finger. He looked at Shiro from behind the edge of his tablet. “We can talk about it as many times…”

“…as it takes.” Shiro finished his sentence. He remembered things he has never experienced. The fragile feelings of an individual who wore his face but the heart were different. The heart loved the same as any other creature.

“I…” Shiro’s throat bobbed. He clenched his jaws trying to surpass the stone of emotion knocking on his teeth.

Keith set the tablet on the side of the bench and stood up. While Shiro was merely lying on the grass and watching Earth’s evening sky, Keith was working – reading scripts that Blades sent him across the galaxy. But now, the man looked like a snowflake in autumn leaves. Keith joined him in the yellowing grass. He laid his head on Shiro’s shoulder. Carefully he brushed his fingertips over Shiro’s and held his breath as he laced their fingers.

“I don’t keep any secrets away from you.” Keith pressed his palm against Shiro’s cold one. “I know you can feel how fast my heart beats.”

Shiro felt like his body’s trying to melt into the soil. His left side where Keith’s head was resting was warm. The pressure kept him safe.

“Keith…” Shiro slowly turned his head to look at the man who had his face half-way buried in Shiro’s shoulder. He could feel the mellowness of Keith’s cheek, the hard side of his jaw against the side of his chest and the teeth hidden behind lips. It was a kiss. A kiss through the fabric of Shiro’s gray t-shirt.

“Keith, I…” Shiro’s eyes turned stormy. The tears were no longer unwelcomed.

“I remember the fall. I don’t know how to explain…” He wished he had his right arm to cover the shame on his face. “I can feel your fingers on my wrist. I can feel you pulling me up.”

“You don’t let go of people you love.” Keith could feel Shiro’s heart hammering into his ear like a pulsar. The strong heart who once belonged to a man who tried to fight his destiny. “I should’ve been there for _you._ ”

As hard, as Shiro tried not to fight the memories of a man who was nothing else but his brother born from a hatred of an enemy, he couldn’t let pass the raw images of the fight on the collapsed station. _It hurts._ A small voice in his head always reminded him to look away. _I wouldn’t lay a finger on him._

“I respect you so much, Keith.” Shiro took a deep breath and shifted squeezing Keith’s hand. He didn’t want to let go, not for a second. And not even the tears falling from his eyes could make him push away and let go of Keith.

“He tried,” Keith lifted himself on his elbow, “I know he _tried._ ”

The smile Keith gave Shiro stopped the tears rolling on his cheeks. How come a man so fragile at his emotions could be so strong at speaking them? Every time Shiro looked at Keith and saw him angry or happy; he knew these emotions are jumping out of the scale of a typical human. From the small details to the obvious things – all about Keith was intense.

“I don’t know what to _do,_ ” Shiro whispered.

“I don’t know how to live knowing you could die for me out there.” He shook his head.

“Well,” Keith leaned on him, “the same as always. I am no longer the young boy who was in need. You don’t have to lead me anywhere, Shiro. I am here with you, at the same level and looking at you. You don’t owe me anything. It’s my free will. I am no child. I’ve learned and understood. For me, it’s _you._ ”

 _What are you waiting for?_ Again the small voice in Shiro’s head reminded him how precious time is.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Shiro asked curiously. “I have to put everything into a question when it comes to you. I am so lost in you.”

Keith’s smile widened, “well, then let me lead you this time.”

“Keith, I…” the man couldn’t react in time. Keith already untangled their fingers and pushed himself over Shiro.

“Am I too bold?” Keith asked when he straddled Shiro’s thighs making sure he’s not touching any inappropriate places.

Shiro only blinked in surprise. _Bold?_ He had no idea what the word means when it comes to Keith. The fresh feeling of completeness made him shiver. _I saw this before._ The lavender eyes blended with the gold and red sky.

“You are _so_ _wide._ ” The words left Shiro’s lips before he could stop himself. “I… I mean you just… have the eyes.”

“Alright, I have eyes.” Keith placed both of his hands on the sides of Shiro’s head.

“The fall…” Keith started carefully, “was not a sacrifice. I hold onto _you_ because there’s nothing more important for me. I would do that again and again. If you understand me now, Shiro, you would understand why do I love you. I have never, in my entire life felt so fragile and strong at the same time. I know one thing; you are not my weakness, you have never been. You are all that I am fighting for. I am strong thanks to you.”

 _He knows I remember._ Shiro closed his eyes. Never a weakness – never a burden. He wished he saw this coming. Every day for the past three years he spent in the safety of the Black’s lion consciousness thinking about _why do you left Voltron, Keith?_ The answer came to him from Shiro himself. _Keith._ The clone whispered while watching as Keith’s ship left the docks of the Castle ship.

“I’ve been there,” Shiro answered with a soft smile.

“I want you to know, that you are not _him_ and you never harmed me. And in a perplexed way, he never harmed me. I don’t believe there’s a part of you in any universe that could harm me in any way. I am maybe very naïve, but when I saw you in the light—“

_Yes._

 

_“This one is for you, Shiro.”_

_“Keith…”_

Shiro’s chest vibrated. The shivers got him from the spine to his tiptoes. He felt as his body is falling apart – the distance memory of astral plane when his soul couldn’t find the right path to Keith’s. He didn’t know how long he has been calling _Keith’s_ name, while the answer was only his voice. He _allowed_ Keith to pilot the Black lion. And when Keith left him, the desperation grew into a tree, and its root disrupted the world and cracked it. There was touch with his clone, a deal with the devil as long as he keeps his friends safe. But, was it the devil? The clone had no chance to steal the Black away while running away from the Castle. At that moment Shiro would _destroy_ him.

_To protect._

“Shiro…”

_“Keith, please listen to me! Don’t leave the Black Lion.”_

_“Keith, I miss you.”_

_“Come back.”_

_“I am alone.”_

_“Keith, please, just… can you hear me?! Keith!”_

“What?” Shiro cleared his throat.

The truth hit him in the head, and now, rolling down the hill, he tried to stifle his scream and tears. How was he able to connect with Keith at that point? What was the missing part between them? Why Lance didn’t listen and walked away? So many stupid questions left unanswered before Shiro _understood._

_You would understand why do I love you._

The distance between him and Keith didn’t create a gap and never divided them in the first place. Keith didn’t _know_ because Shiro had no instruments to let him know. It took him a while understand what was happening with him and the universe while Keith was desperately searching for him in the debris.

“You’re spacing out. Is something bothering you?”

“No.” Shiro smiled and lifted his hand.

 _No._ Keith held his breath, waiting patiently and courageous for the collision. His eyes centered at Shiro’s face as it turned into a heartbeat. The touch of Shiro’s palm made him weak for the pleasure of living. He leaned against it, kissed the skin and swear to God _he won’t let go of that hand._

“You caught me again.”

Shiro pushed and pulled himself. He blamed the world, everyone around him how quickly they got fooled. And then, Keith was gone. He left _confused_ after everything began falling apart. Maybe he felt unwanted, and the clone never stopped him. _Do your work._ But oh boy, Shiro only wanted to jump into _his_ skin and held Keith’s face; _I need you here. It’s me._

 

_“Keith, I have learned to love you. All alone, watching and missing what was gone forever.”_

_“Shiro! Shiro, I need you! SHIRO!”_

_“I understand.”_

_“Tell me how.”_

_“Watch through my eyes. Touch me and let me lead you for the last time.”_

 


End file.
